Real Estate From The Trenches

Zillow Lawsuit Explodes: RICO Allegations, New Plaintiffs, and a Much Bigger Problem Than Anyone Thought

November 20, 2025

Zillow Lawsuit Expands With Major New Allegations Including RESPA violations and violation of RICO law. Here’s What Buyers and Agents Should Know

Nine days ago I covered the first class action accusing Zillow of steering buyers toward Zillow Home Loans in exchange for giving certain agents more and better leadsZillow Hit with Class Action Over Alleged Kickbacks to Agents…Is Your Agent Steering You?). That was serious enough.

Now the lawsuit has been amended, and the claims are much bigger. More plaintiffs were added. More real estate companies were named. And the accusations now include RICO violations, which is the same federal law used against large, organized schemes.

Zillow Hit with Class Action Over Alleged Kickbacks to Agents…Is Your Agent Steering You?

November 11, 2025

Allegations of Illegal Steering and Kickbacks against Zillow- Class Action Lawsuit- RESPA Violation

A newly filed federal class action lawsuit alleges that Zillow has been quietly pressuring real estate agents to steer buyers toward Zillow Home Loans in exchange for receiving better buyer leads. If proven true, this practice could be a clear violation of federal law, and a serious breach of the fiduciary duties agents owe their clients.

The complaint, filed November 7th in the Western District of Washington, claims Zillow used its Premier Agent and Flex programs to condition agents’ lead access on meeting mortgage referral quotas. Agents who hit targets for sending buyers to Zillow’s in-house lender reportedly got more and better-quality leads. Those who didn’t risked being cut off. Meanwhile, consumers weren’t told any of this, many were funneled into ZHL thinking their agent was simply giving sound mortgage advice.

Supreme Court Declines REX Case: No Verdict, But Plenty to Watch

October 22, 2025

REX’s Supreme Court Petition Denied: What It Means (and Doesn’t) for Real Estate

The Supreme Court has officially denied Real Estate Exchange, Inc. (REX)’s petition for a writ of certiorari, ending its high-profile antitrust case against Zillow and the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR). While headlines might make it sound like a landmark ruling, the reality is simpler: the Court just opted not to take the case, not to weigh in on whether NAR’s policies are legal or not.

Zillow Pays Redfin $100 Million to Exit the Rental Ad Game….and the FTC Isn’t Having It

September 30, 2025

In what the FTC is calling a “blatantly anti-competitive agreement,” Zillow paid Redfin $100 million to get out of the rental advertising business and hand over its multifamily customers. That’s not an exaggeration…according to the FTC’s 32-page federal complaint filed September 30, the agreement requires Redfin to terminate all contracts for properties with 25 or more units, share sensitive customer info, lay off its entire rentals team, and direct its clients (and staff) over to Zillow.

In return, Redfin gets to stay in the rental search game… as a syndicator for Zillow listings only. The agreement spans up to nine years and effectively kills off Redfin as a competitor in the ILS (Internet Listing Service) space for large rental properties.

Zillow Hit with Class Action Lawsuit Alleging Hidden Fees, Deceptive Practices

September 20, 2025

Zillow is being sued in a proposed nationwide class-action lawsuit that alleges it misleads consumers on its site while quietly pocketing up to 40% of the buyer agent’s commission, and doing it without disclosure to either the buyer or the seller.

The lawsuit, filed by Oregon homebuyer Alucard Taylor on September 19, 2025, targets Zillow’s “Flex” agent referral program and accuses the company of violating both the Washington Consumer Protection Act and the federal Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA).

What Uber, Amazon, and Zillow All Have in Common (and Why It Should Worry Real Estate Agents)

September 16, 2025

Corporate squeeze on agents real estate commission

There’s a familiar pattern playing out across industries right now, and real estate agents are right in the thick of it, whether we realize it or not.

The research on Amazon and Uber’s fee evolution is eye-opening. Both platforms started by offering their users, sellers and drivers, low-cost access and the promise of big opportunities. Amazon took less than 10% from sellers back in 2006. Uber’s original commission rate was a flat 20%. Fast forward to 2025, and Amazon is taking roughly 45% of third-party sellers’ revenue. Uber drivers are seeing 30 to 40% of their fares siphoned off in fees.

CoStar vs. Zillow: Big Lawsuit Over Photos, Bigger Implications for Real Estate

July 31, 2025

Zillow vs. CoStar: Why This Battle Over Photos Matters to You

A major copyright lawsuit filed this week by CoStar against Zillow might sound like a corporate turf war—and on the surface, that’s exactly what it is. But behind the headlines, this one hits closer to home for agents, landlords, and property owners than most people realize.

Beyond the Hype: What Zillow’s Court Statements Say About Its Business Model

July 23, 2025

Buried in Zillow’s opposition to a preliminary injunction was a candid acknowledgment of how their platform actually works — and where its limits lie.

But perhaps the most telling statement from Zillow’s filing is this:

Open Access or Walled Gardens? What’s Really at Stake in the Compass-Zillow Lawsuit

June 26, 2025

EXP Weights in on Compass vs Zillow Suit over Private Listings

The Compass-Zillow Lawsuit Isn’t Just Legal Drama—It’s a Battle Over Real Estate’s Innovation DNA

Glenn Sanford, CEO of eXp, just weighed in on the Compass-Zillow lawsuit—and whether you agree with him or not, his post hits a critical nerve about where this industry could be headed.

Why the Compass vs. Zillow Lawsuit May Reshape Real Estate’s Digital Future

June 25, 2025

The Compass antitrust lawsuit against Zillow is heating up, and Greg Hague’s latest analysis puts an even sharper point on what’s at stake. I covered the legal filing last week, but Hague’s breakdown highlights just how transformative this case could be for the real estate industry. He’s right: this isn’t just about listing policies or portal preferences. It’s a fight over who controls the digital front door to homebuying—and whether innovation in marketing strategies gets crushed under the weight of a near-monopoly.

What Zillow calls a policy change for transparency, Hague frames as textbook exclusionary conduct. And it’s hard to argue with that lens when you consider the timing: Compass gains traction with its Private Exclusives and extended pre-MLS marketing, NAR adjusts the Clear Cooperation Policy to allow more flexibility, and suddenly Zillow drops a 24-hour rule that effectively bans listings that don’t play by its rules. It’s not about fairness to buyers; it’s about eliminating options that threaten Zillow’s lead-gen machine. The permanent nature of the ban, coupled with Zillow’s platform dominance, underscores the concern.